MINSTER — On Tuesday, Minster Village Councilors awarded a contract for the upcoming street resurfacing project to Wagner Paving.

“Wagner’s has done a number of jobs for us in town,” Village Administrator Don Harrod said. “They do good work for us, so we have no problem recommending them.”

The engineer’s estimate for the project was $195,552, and the councilors appropriated $125,000 for the project at the beginning of this year.

MINSTER — On Tuesday, Minster Village Councilors awarded a contract for the upcoming street resurfacing project to Wagner Paving.

“Wagner’s has done a number of jobs for us in town,” Village Administrator Don Harrod said. “They do good work for us, so we have no problem recommending them.”

The engineer’s estimate for the project was $195,552, and the councilors appropriated $125,000 for the project at the beginning of this year.

Of the three bids that the village received, Wagner’s bid of $122,240 was the lowest.

Next, the council discussed the possibility of providing water to the West Lake Village trailer park. Providing water would mean that West Lake would likely be annexed into the village.

Councilor Tom Herkenhoff said most of the people he talked to about annexing the property are opposed to it, not only because of the need for sending water there, but also for the need of sending police and fire protection.

“What we’re hearing from the public thus far (is) annexing is something that they don’t want to happen and if that’s the case then probably we will turn that down,” Mayor Dennis Kitzmiller said.

Councilor Steve Kitzmiller said that West Lake’s owner, Jeff Sommer, also owns some desirable property located along Ohio 66.

He suggested the village could possibly provide water to West Lake, without annexing it, in exchange for being able to annex the land off Ohio 66.

“I’m not really interested in annexing the property out there,” Steve Kitzmiller said.

“I don’t think most of the people that I’ve talked to are interesting in annexing (it) into the village. (Sommer) does bring something to the table as far as land (and) maybe developing (it) as a potential business park down the line. I guess it would be nice if we could work something out that way. He does bring that to the table.”

Although the village has not had talks with Sommer about the possibility of annexing the land, Harrod said he would mention the idea to Sommer.

“Water service without being annexed — that I would probably go along with, yeah, and I don’t think there would be difficulty with most of the residents going along with that either,” Herkenhoff said.

Mayor Kitzmiller also said he was interested in the idea.

“For that trade off of some industrial land, that may be something that may have to be thought about very hard,” he said.

Another major issue that the council discussed was the possibility of adding a four-way stop to the intersection of Garfield and Third streets.

“I want to say at least three (accidents) we’ve had, right off the top of my head, at that intersection,” Minster Police Chief Randy Houseworth said.

Steve Kitzmiller, who previously lived in that area approximately seven years ago, said he knows from personal experience the intersection can be dangerous.

“If I was still living there today … I’d say put it up, just because I’ve seen issues there,” he said.

Steve Kitzmiller then proceeded to bring up another traffic issue, noting the intersection of Third and Main streets is dangerous for people trying to turn onto Main Street.

“That’s a very blind area there,” he said. “That’s an issue. That’s always been an issue.”

One negative of doing work in that particular location; however, is that since Main Street is part of a state route (Ohio 66), state approval would need to be given for a stop light to be erected.

“Things just don’t move (quickly) like that,” Steve Kitzmiller said. “The suggestion to me was to take more parking off of the streets (which wouldn’t require state approval).”

Harrod said he was unsure if the state would approve for a traffic light at Third and Main streets.

“I’m not sure we’re going to have enough cars that come up Third Street to warrant a traffic light there,” Harrod said.

Councilors also held a second reading on an ordinance for vacating certain streets and alleys in Minster, along with a first reading regarding the annexation of approximately 0.583 acres of land from Jackson Township to the village of Minster.

In his administrator’s report, Harrod said Tumbusch Construction continues to make progress on the Miami and Erie Canal.

He said they are currently placing rock on the west side of the canal, while most of the entire eastern side is now fully complete.

Harrod said the Fourth Street construction project is moving along well as Brumbaugh Construction has finished installing a storm sewer from the canal to Hanover Street.

Harrod also said Peterson Construction started work on the wastewater treatment plant, while Gavit Paving started repaving the library parking lot.

Harrod said that the park committee’s annual meeting was recently held.

Issues involving Seventh Street Community Park were discussed at this meeting, including: repairing of the drinking fountain, use of the practice football field, use of the parking area and drives when the elementary relocates, as well as the possibility of utilizing rubber mulch around the playground equipment that is on the west side of the park.

The next Minster Village Council meeting is scheduled to be held at 6:30 p.m. July 19.